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Staff Profile

Professor Andrew Blamire

Dean of Translational and Clinical Research Institute & Professor of Magnetic Resonance Physics

  • Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 5633
  • Address: Translational & Clinical Research Institute
    M3.046, Leech Building
    Faculty of Medical Sciences
    Newcastle University
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    NE4 5PL
Background

Role

I provide both strategic and operational leadership for the Translational and Clinical Research Institute.

I am a member of the Centre for In Vivo Imaging (CIVI) which brings together our expertise across a broad range of imaging modalities applied to in vivo biomedical research, including MRI, PET, PET-MRI and fluorescence imaging. 


Research Overview

My personal research programmes revolve around developing and applying novel Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Spectroscopy (MRS) methodology as diagnostic and prognostic values and as outcome measures in interventional trials. In addition to leading research programmes in Newcastle I am heavily involved in international projects. (Please see my Research page for more information)


Partnerships

  • Member of the UK Biobank Expert Working Group on Imaging
  • Chair of the Dementias Platform UK Repeat Imaging Working Group

Google Scholar: Click here.

ORCID: Click here.

Research

Research Interests

My personal research programmes revolve around developing and applying novel Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Spectroscopy (MRS) methodology as diagnostic and prognostic values and as outcome measures in interventional trials. 

Neuromuscular - natural history studies

I am the co-lead for MRI evaluations in the Jain Foundation funded "Clinical outcome study in Dysferlinopathy" (COS) and the follow-up extension study (COS-2). Working with colleagues in Newcastle in the John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre and in Paris at the Institute of Myology we are using quantitative MRI methods to map the natural history of muscle changes in an international multi-site cohort of patients with dysferlinopathy. The study has been running since 2012 and is providing insights into disease activity and progression.

Neuromuscular - novel imaging approaches

With funding originally from the MRC Confidence in Concept scheme, we developed novel MRI techniques which visualise neuromuscular motor unit activity and are a potential non-invasive alternative to needle based EMG measurements. With funding from Muscular Dystrophy UK, we developed a combination of images in resting muscle and imaging during in-scanner electrical stimulation to define optimum conditions to image and quantify motor unit activity. With the support of the MND Association, we are now applying these new techniques to study patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (motor neuron disease) and with additional support from the Newcastle LifeArc Pathfinder scheme are conducting a pilot study in patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

I coordinate imaging analysis for quantitative assessment of muscle degeneration (fatty replacement) in a longitudinal, natural history (clinical outcome) study of patients with dysferlinopathy, funded by the JAIN foundation.

I was Coordinator of the BIOIMAGE-NMD programme, an FP7 funded consortium of 6 academic and 3 SME partners across Europe working to develop MRI and PET methodology as outcome measures for clinical trials in patients with neuromuscular diseases (www.bioimage-nmd.eu).

Neuroimaging - Dementia and Neurodegenerative Diseases

Recent studies using quantitative relaxation imaging (T1 and T2), diffusion tensor imaging, cerebral blood flow imaging (arterial spin labeling) and metabolic measurements by proton MR spectroscopic imaging have revealed different patterns of neurodegeneration between patients with Alzheimer's disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies.  

I ran the central imaging analysis for the TIRCON study where advanced MRI methods are being used to evaluate changes in brain iron levels in patients with PKAN in a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of Deferiprone (www.tircon.eu).

Other projects include:

  • Studies of brain structure function in patients with Primary Biliary Cholangitis 

More details can be found at the MR Centre website www.ncl.ac.uk/magres

Teaching
I contribute teaching on MRI technologies to the Imaging with Non-Ionising Radiation speciality on the MSc in Clinical Sciences (Medical Physics) course, to the MRes course on System Neuroscience and to undergraduate modules on Diseases of the Nervous System.
Publications